Nu-sulphonylalkylenimine polymers



Patented Jan. 13, 1942 N-SULPHONYLALKYLENMINE POLYMERS GerardJ. Berchet, Wilmington, Del., assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application March 9, 1939, Serial No. 260,864

7 Claims.

This invention relates to new polymeric materials, and more particularly to materials obtained by polymerization of monomeric N-sulphonylethyleniminesn r This invention has as an object the provision of new and valuable polymeric materials. An-

'- other object is to provide a process for preparing these new polymers. A further object is the provision of new modified cellulosic fibers and fabrics. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

These objects are accomplished by the following invention wherein an N-sulphonylethylenimine, the structure of which is represented by the general formula t, R,S Oz-N wherein R is an alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or aralkyl radical, and R R R and R are hydrogen or hydrocarbon radicals, is polymerized either per se or in admixture with other polymerizable compounds, to a new class of polymers.

British Patent 466,345 discloses the reaction 'of polymeric ethylenimines with aromatic sulphonyl chlorides. The products are soluble in organic solvents.

The polymerization of polymeric N-sulphonylethylenimines has not hitherto been recorded although many of the monomers have been prepared. The monomeric products are inhibited from polymerization by traces of foreign ingredients, e. g. arylsulphonic acids which are ids whose general formula is wherein Ris a monovalent hydrocarbon, e. g.,

This

an alkyl, cyc1o-, alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl radical,

. and R R R and R are hydrogens or hydrocarbon radicals. The monomers are prepared by reacting a sulphonic acid chloride with monomeric ethylenimines according to the equation:

obtained, some of which are already described in the scientific literature, may be polymerized under certain conditions set forth in greater detail below. The polymerization probably involves opening of the ethylenimine ring with forma-.

tion of a linear polymer containing a plurality of sulphenylethylenimine units of the type [-JII-CHPCHP som . This is substantiated by the fact that the pol) meric sulphonylethylenimines are insoluble in alkali. Interpolymers containing substantial proportions of ethylenimines, e. g., five moles per mole of sulphonylethylenimine are soluble in alkali. Polymerization may be induced by heating the monomers substantially above their melting point for a sufiicient length of time, if desired, in the presence .of a polymerization catalyst. It has been found that organic bases are effective catalysts; on the other hand, acids, e. 'g. arylsulphonic acids and acetic acid considerably retard the polymerization. The polymeric sulphonylethylenimines -are high-melting solids insoluble in the common organic solvents and remarkably stable, towards hydrolytic agents such as alkalies and acids.

The physical properties of the polymeric sulphonylethylenimines may be modified by carrying out the polymerization in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. Of particular interest is the interpolymerization of mixtures of sulphonyL ethylenimines'with ethylenimines. The reaction then proceeds spontaneously and involves both components; the product is an interpolymer becomes viscous, then solidifies. hours at 100 C., theproduct is a polymeric white solid melting around 250255 C. Whereas the whose physical properties differ from those of both polymeric sulphonylethylenimine and polymeric ethylenimines and depend upon the relative proportions of the components. The polymers may then be obtained as resins with 8. variable degree of softness.

N-sulphonylethylenimines are particularly well adapted to polymerization in situ, i. e., the

monomer may be deposited on materials such as cloth, paper, leather, etc., and subsequently subjected to polymerization. The mild conditions which are in general suflicient to bring about the' 4 polymerization are favorable factors since the impregnated material is thereby protected from deterioration.

The preparation of themonomeric N-sulphonylethylenimines is exemplified in Examples A, B, and C below, wherein parts are by weight.

EXAMPLE A washing with water and drying, is a solid melting at 62-63. Theyield is 85-90 per cent of the theory. The product may be purified by dissolving it in 650 parts of warm benzene, filtering and adding 1750 parts of ligroin. p-Toluenesulphonylethylenimine crystallizes out as a white solid melting sharply at 64-65 C. This compound appears in two crystalline forms, one of which is unstable and melts at 515 C. This forms goes over spontanemisly to the stable modification, M. P. 64.5 C.

ExAMPLE B Monomeric N-n-octylsulphonylethylenimine is prepared by dissolving a slight excess of ethylenimine in 6 per cent-sodium hydroxide solution and treating this solution with n-octyl-sulphonyl chloride. The reaction product is a colorless oil which is washed thoroughly with water anddried. The yield is nearly quantitative.

Emu; c Monomeric N cyclohexylsulphonylethylenimine.

isprepared by dissolving a slight excess of ethlyenimine in 6 per cent sodium hydroxide and treating this solution with cyclohexanemonosulphonyl chloride in portions with vigorous shaking. The reactionproduct is'a colorless oil which may be separated by extracting with ether and removing the solvent ether under reduced pressure. The practice of the invention is illustrated by the following examples, wherein parts given are by weight. There are, of course, many forms of the invention other than these specific embodiments;

EXAMPLE I Poly-N p-toluenesulfonylethulenimine Monomeric p-toluenesulphonylethylenimine is heated at 100 C. After a few minutes, the melt After about 4 .ylenimine. This reaction is monomer is readily soluble in the common solvents, the polymer is insoluble in water, alcohol,

benzene, carbon tetrachloride, glacial and 50%- acetic acid, benzyl alcohol, formamide, methylcyclohexanol, acetonitrile, pyridine and camphor at the boiling point of these solvents. It is also insoluble in and unaffected by hot 15 per cent aqueous potassium hydroxide and hot concentrated hydrochloric acid. It is soluble in hot m-cresol and hot nitrobenzene.

EXAMPLE II Monomeric p-toluenesulphonylethylenimine is heated at 100 C. for l /zhours. The solid so obtained is then dissolved in m-cresol and the solution heated at 180-190 C. for 18 hours. The

polymer is recovered by diluting the m-cresol so- EXAMPLE I II A solution of 4.95 parts of p-toluenesulphonylethylenimine in 16 parts of benzene is treated with 2.57 parts of diethylenetriamine, whereupon the temperature rises rapidly up to about C. After one hour the solution is refluxed for 2 hours.

soluble in per cent acetic acid. Other organic bases such as aniline, ethylaniline or pyridine may be substituted for diethylenetriamine; the

spontaneous reaction is then somewhat slower.

The products are resinous in character and are soluble in glacial and 50 per, cent acetic acid. The diethylenetriamine is probably both catalyst and reactant.

When monomeric ethylenimine is used as the basic catalyst, th polymerized product-contains most of the ethylenimine applied; this and the fact that the properties of the polymer differ in solubility in acids, alkalies and'organicsolvents and in appearance, melting point, etc., from those of both polymeric sulphonylethylenimine and polymeric ethylenimine indicates that it is an interpolymer of sulphonylethylenimine. with ethillustrated in the following examples: t

EXAMPLE IV To a solution of 39.4 parts of monomeric ptoluenesulphonylethylenimine in parts of benzene is added 8.6 parts of monomeric ethylenimine. After a few minutes a spontaneous reaction begins with evolution of heat. The temperature is kept-below 35 by external cooling. When the spontaneous reaction has subsided, the solution is refluxed 3 /2 hours. After removing the solvent, the residue is evaporated to constant weight at C.'at a pressure of 0.5 mm. It is then a light colored, homogeneous resin softening below 50. Its weight (48 parts) and its solubility properties indicate that all of the ethylenimine applied is present and has interpolymerized with p-toluenesulpho'nylethylenimine. The polymer is insoluble in water, soluble in acetic acid and formic acid, but precipitates-when water is added to these solutions. It is soluble in acetone After evaporation of the solvent, the product is a rather soft resin insoluble in water,

mine.

tion of benzene-acetic acid solution gives a clear,

colorless film which hardens on baking at 100 C.

EXAMPLE V To a solution of 39.4 parts of p-toluenesu lphonylethylenimine in 60 parts of benzene is added 25.8 parts of monomeric ethylenimlne. The solution is treated as in Example IV. The weight.

of the residual polymer (54.2 parts) shows that a ExAmPLa- VI To a solution of 39.4 parts of monomeric ptoluene sulphonylethylenimine in 60 parts of benzene is added 43 parts of monomeric ethyleni- The solution is treated as in Example IV. The weight of the residual polymer (63.2 parts) shows that about 55 per cent of the ethylenimine is present. The polymer is at lightcolored resin softening below 50 soluble in 6% aqueous hydroxide. Its solution in acetic acid does not precipitate on dilution with water. It is an excellent dispersing agent for pigments.

Polymeric ethylenimine may be substituted for the monomeric'material, as shown by the following example.

EXAMPLE VII To 9.85 parts of monomeric p-toluenesulphonylethylenimine is added 2.15 parts of polymeric ethylenimine without solvent. There is a spontaneous reaction with evolution of much heat. The product is a light-colored, homogeneous resin having the same solubility characteristics as that v of Example IV.

EXAMPLE VIII N -octy1sulphonylethylenimine is heated at 125 C. for 6 hours. The resulting solid polymer melts at about 280 C. It is insoluble in ethanol, butanol, glycerol, triethylene glycol, carbon tetrachloride, benzene, acetic acid, dioxan, beta-methoxy-ethanol; very sparingly soluble in pyridine, benzyl alcohol, bromobenzene, cyclohexanol; soluble in m-cresol, nitrobenzene, o-hydroxydiphenyl, and dimethylaniline.

EXAMPLE IX EXAMPLE X The interpolymer prepared according to Example VI is dissolved in 6 per cent sodium hydroxide and added to a viscose solution, the ratio of the'cellulose to the polymer being 10 to 1 by weight. After standing overnight at room ternperature, the viscose solution is spun according to the usual procedure. The yarn so obtained has good strength and appearance. It contains 0.9 per cent of nitrogen and is readily dyed by wool dyes. The colors are fast to laundering.

EXAMPLE XI A solution of 4 parts of monomeric p-toluenesulphonylethylenimine and 1 part of pyridine in 160 parts of benzene is prepared. A sample of muslin 'is-soaked in the boiling solution for 5 minutes, wrung out, and baked at C, for 30 minutes. This treatment gives 2.9 per cent impregnation. The treated fabric, which is substantially unchanged in appearance or feel, shows improved water-repellencyand remarkable aflinity for W001 dyes. The colors are fast to laundering, e. g. they are fast to 30 minute treatment at 50 C. in 0.25% soap solution plus 0.1% soda ash.

In the precess of the present invention any monomeric N-sulphonylethylenimine may be used. There may be prepared as indicated in Examples A, B, and 0 above from an ethylenimine and the organic monosulphonyl chloride RSOaCl in which R is a hydrocarbon, e. g., an alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl or aryl-radical e. g. ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, amyl, isoamyl, tertiary amyl, hexyl, decyl, dodecyl, hexadecyl, methylcyclohexyl, phenyl, naphthyl, benzyl, phenylethyl, diphenylmethyl, etc. Mixtures of sulphonyl halides may be used, e. g. paraflin wax sulphonyl chlorides prepared by the reaction of S02 and chlorine on paraffln wax. Any monomeric ethylenimine may be used including thepreferred ethylenimine, per se,

but also C-substituted ethylenimines, such as 1- methylethylenimine, 1,1-diinethylethylenimine, 1,2-dimethylethylenimine, l-e'thylethylenimine, l-methyl-Z-ethylethylenimine, l-hexylethylenimine, l-dodecylethylenimine, l-phenylethylenim'ine,1,2-diphenylethyh :limine,etc. Theterman ethylenimine comprehends not only ethyleniskmine per se but also these C-substituted ethylcnimines.

The polymerization process of the present invention may be carried out under a variety of conditions. An elevated temperature is often desirable, but by no means necessary; for example N-n-octylsulphonylethylenimine may be polymerized at room temperature. Temperatures substantially above C. are not in general desirable; if higher operating temperatures are desired, it is preferable to work in an inert solvent capable of keeping the polymer in solution, e. g., meta-cresol and nitrobenzene, among others. The polymerization may be carried out at atmospheric, superatmospheric, or subatmospheric pressures. Fillers, plasticizers, pigments, dyes, etc., may be mixed with the polymerizable material either before polymerization or at any subsequent stage. The degree of polymerization. i. e., molecular weight, may be controlled to some extent by the duration and temperature of the process. The polymerization may also be conducted in emulsion or suspension in a suitable medium. In the treatment of viscose. polymeric sulphonylethylenimines may be added at any stage of the process, or a mixture of monomeric sulphonylethylenimine and ethylenimlne may be added and allowed to polymerize.

7 2,209,997 Catalysts may be used itdesired. Basic cata- This invention makes available a new class of polymeric materials; The monomeric sulphonyle ethylenimines are readily available and may be polymerized under very mild and varied conditions, thus are easily adaptable to'large scale manufacturing. The polymers are high-melting,

olym'erization is to be carried out in i in adequate amount as polymerization reaction components. In the presence of monomeric ethylenimines, the polymerization proceeds spontaneously. as has been mentioned above. Interpolymers with a wide range or physical properties may be obtained, depending upon the relative proportions of the components. A small amount of ethylenimine yields a hard, tough resin insoluble in dilute or even concentrated acetic acid and the common solvents; higher proportions of ethylenimine to N-suiphonylethylenimine' yield resins of increasing solubilities in dilute acids and common solvents. For this purpose, it is possible to use, besides ethylenimine itself, anypolymerizable ethylenimine such as, for example, the C-substituted ethylenimines listed above and, in addition,- N-substituted eth: ylenimines such as N-methylethylenimine, N- ethylethylenimine, N-octylethylenimin e, N-dodecylethylenimine, N-octadecylethylenimine, N- benzylethylenimine, etc. In the presence of catalysts, the polymerization may be carried out at low or moderate temperatures; catalysts are thereiore valuable when itis desired to polymerize the sulphonylethylenimine in situ..

The polymeric sulphonylethylenimines, either per se or interpoiymerized with ethylenimines,

are valuable ingredients in molding, coating and film-forming compositions. They may be used as pigment-dispersing agents andemulsion stachemically resistant, difiiculty-soluble materials but can also, it desired, be obtained as lowmelting, more soluble interpolymers, thereby lending themselves to a variety of applications. The ready polymerization of the monomeric materials makes them particularly well adapted to I polymerization in situ without injury to the supporting materials. Moreover, it is possible to.

interpolymerize the monomeric sulphonylethylenimines with ethylenimines in aliproportions to obtain polymers with a wide range of properties,

e. g., a wide range of solubilities in' dilute acids and common solvents. The above description and examples are intended to be illustrative only. Any modification oi or variation therefrom which conforms to the spirit of the invention is intended to be included claims.

' N-sulphonvlethylenimine wherein a monovalent bilizers. Themonomeric materials may be polyhydrocarbon radical is attached thru the sulphonyl radical to theethylenimine nitrogen.

'4. Apolymerization product of a monomeric N-sulphonyl derivative of an ethylenimine where- 6. An interpolymer of a monomeric N-sulphonyl derivative oi ethylenimine wherein a monovalenthydrocarbon radical is attached thru the sulphonyl radical to the ethylenimine nitrogen with a monomeric ethylenimine containing only 'carhon, hydrogen and nitrogen.

I. An-interpolymer of monomeric N-p toluenesulphonylethylenimine with monomeric ethylenimine.

GERARD J. BERCHET'. 

